Harassment Policy

Students are responsible for knowing the following:

It is the policy of Occidental College to maintain an environment for students, faculty and staff that is free of sexual, racial, and other discriminatory harassment. All members of the college community should be aware that the College is concerned about such harassment and is prepared to take prompt action to prevent and correct such behavior. Individuals who engage in sexual harassment (which includes harassment based on gender, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions) as well as any other unlawful harassment based on factors such as race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or age will be subject to discipline, up to and including expulsion or termination. Retaliation against a person who properly reports, complains about, or participates in the investigation of such harassment is likewise prohibited. We encourage students to report these incidents as explained in the instructions below or using the anonymous reporting forms in the "Related Links" section on this page.

Definitions

Discriminatory harassment is conduct that is sufficiently severe or pervasive that it creates a hostile working or academic environment which unreasonably interferes with, limits or denies educational or employment access, benefits or opportunities on the basis on a person's protected status, including race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identification, age, religious creed, physical and/or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, marital status or other status protected by this policy and anti-discrimination and anti-harassment statutes. These statutes include Titles VI, VII, and IX of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act. Such harassment can be physical, verbal, or visual. Employers, co- workers, fellow students, and third parties can commit harassment and/or be affected by it.

Sexual harassment is one form of unlawful discrimination. Such harassment may either be "quid pro quo" or "environmental". "Quid pro quo" harassment occurs when submission to sexual advances or requests for sexual favors is made an explicit or implicit term of an individual's employment or education, and/or acceptance or rejection of such advances is used as the basis for making employment or educational decisions impacting the individual. "Environmental" harassment occurs when an individual is subjected to a hostile and/or intimidating environment, in which verbal or physical conduct, because of its severity, pervasiveness or persistence, has the effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work, education, or living conditions. Examples of sexual harassment may include:

Unwelcome touching or physical assault;

Making submission to sexual advances an actual or implied condition of employment, work status, promotion, grades, or letters of recommendation; This may include subtle pressure for sexual activity, an element of which may be repeated requests for private meetings with no academic or work purpose;

Direct propositions of a sexual nature between those for whom a power imbalance or supervisory or other authority relationship exists;

A severe, persistent or pervasive pattern of unwelcome conduct that would discomfort or humiliate a reasonable person at whom the conduct was directed that includes one or more of the following: (1) unnecessary touching, patting, hugging, or brushing against a person's body; (2) remarks of a sexual nature about a person's clothing or body; (3) remarks about a sexual activity or speculations about previous sexual experience; or (4) other objectively offensive comments of a sexual nature, including persistent or pervasive sexually explicit statements, questions, jokes, or anecdotes;

Severe, persistent, or pervasive visual displays of suggestive, erotic, or degrading sexually-oriented images that are not pedagogically appropriate;

Other Conduct Prohibited by this Policy

Retaliation against Complainants - It is a violation of this policy to retaliate against a complainant or any party of interest for filing a charge of harassment or participating in a grievance process. A complaint of retaliation may be pursued using the steps followed for a complaint of harassment.

False Reports - To knowingly file a false or malicious complaint of harassment or retaliation is also a violation of this policy. A complaint against such conduct will be pursued under the appropriate employee or student code of conduct.

Reporting Unlawful Discrimination or Harassment

Internal Reporting

Individuals who believe they are victims of, or witnesses to, unlawful discrimination or harassment are urged to report such incidents as soon as possible to a trusted supervisor, academic instructor, or one of the designated College officials listed below: